The Town FilesHammond, Indiana
City in Lake County · population 77,879 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $159,900
- Household income
- $55,504
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 32 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 31
- Median age
- 36.0
Hammond is a city of 77,879 people in Lake County, Indiana. The median home is worth $159,900, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks more walkable than 99% of Indiana towns, more vibrant than 99% of Indiana towns, better transit than 99% of Indiana towns.
How Hammond ranks
Percentile among Indiana towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Indiana towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Hammond is worth $159,900, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $55,504, which is more affordable than 29% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $1,134 a month. 62.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hammond | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $159,900 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $1,134 | $888 |
| Median household income | $55,504 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 62.4% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1952 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Hammond
| People | Hammond | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.0 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.2% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 23.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.4% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.1% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 4.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.5% | — |
| Work from home | 6.9% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 25.7 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.2% | 89.2% |
Weather in Hammond
July highs average 83.9°F and January lows 15.2°F. About 42.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.6 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 126 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hammond since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 21, 1967 about 8.2 miles from the town center and killed 33. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 33 deaths and 518 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 27, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 60 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 13, 2015.
Severe weather in Lake County since 1996
Lake County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 25, 2026 | Flood | DR-4933: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 15, 2026 | Flood | EM-3651: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3641: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 15, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4704: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Lake County
Lake County had 191,633 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,200 a year. Unemployment was 5% in 2023; in Hammond itself the ACS puts it at 6.5%.
Public schools in Hammond
18 public schools with 11,744 students, about 16.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hammond Central High School | 9-12 | 1,923 | 20.0 |
| Morton Senior High School | 9-12 | 1,534 | 16.5 |
| Henry W Eggers Middle School | 7-8 | 783 | 17.0 |
| Washington Irving Elementary Sch | PK-6 | 740 | 18.5 |
| Charles N Scott Middle School | 7-8 | 734 | 18.8 |
| Joseph Hess Elementary School | PK-6 | 686 | 19.1 |
| Warren G Harding Elementary School | PK-6 | 643 | 15.7 |
| Thomas A Edison Elementary School | PK-6 | 634 | 18.1 |
| Annie Burns-Hicks Elementary School | PK-6 | 626 | 16.1 |
| Hammond Academy of Science & Tech (charter) | 6-12 | 551 | 13.1 |
| Abraham Lincoln Elementary School | PK-6 | 550 | 16.7 |
| Morton Elementary School | PK-6 | 525 | 16.9 |
Towns near Hammond
- Calumet City, IL2.7 mi · 36,033 people · home $145,200
- Burnham, IL3.0 mi · 4,046 people · home $161,300
- East Chicago, IN3.0 mi · 26,370 people · home $105,400
- Whiting, IN3.8 mi · 4,559 people · home $198,900
- Lansing, IL4.6 mi · 29,076 people · home $177,000
- Munster, IN5.0 mi · 23,894 people · home $334,300
- Dolton, IL5.3 mi · 21,426 people · home $151,300
- Highland, IN5.3 mi · 23,984 people · home $233,300
Hammond questions
Is Hammond, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hammond scores better for retirees than 1% of Indiana towns and quieter than 3%. 14.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.0).
How much does a house cost in Hammond?
The median owner-occupied home in Hammond is valued at $159,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,504, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $1,134 a month.
What is the weather like in Hammond?
July highs average 83.9°F and January lows 15.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.1 inches of precipitation a year and 31.6 inches of snow.
Does Hammond get tornadoes?
31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hammond since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 21, 1967. The typical Indiana town has had 23.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)